In Tamil Nadu, over 150 villagers from South Chezhiyanallur near Maanur in Tirunelveli district submitted a petition to the Collector seeking the closure of a limestone quarry near their houses, which, they alleged, was ?illegally run? by a cement company. The petitioners said that the Department of Mines had given permission to the company to mine limestone from a land situated close to their hamlet. Since these limestone quarries were closely located to their houses, the explosions triggered in the mines were causing heavy damage to the houses.
According to the company source, the cement company was mining limestone by following all stipulated norms and the government officials inspecting the mines periodically had not filed any complaint.